Eastside Farmers Market Opens Next Week

King Portland Farmers Market and Buckman Portland Farmers Market spring back into action on May 1 & 5 with new vendors; both markets welcome back local nutrition incentive program Fresh Exchange

Portland Farmers Market, the nonprofit 501(c)6 organization operated by a small staff and numerous volunteers, is getting set for the season opening of two of its neighborhood markets: King Portland Farmers Market and Buckman Portland Farmers Market. Both weekly markets are welcoming new vendors for the 2011 season and offering Fresh Exchange, the community-based nutrition incentive program hosted by Portland Farmers Market. The program provides a dollar-for-dollar match (up to $5) to SNAP participants using their EBT cards to purchase $1 tokens to spend on fresh food at the market.

King Portland Farmers Market

King Market kicks off its third season on Sunday, May 1. The market will be open Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., near the intersection of NE 7th Avenue and Wygant Street, in the parking lot adjacent to King School Park. This market will be open until Sunday, October 30, 2011.

New King Market vendors for 2011 include:

Eatin’ Alive, a bicycle-powered mobile vending station that believes in harnessing raw energy in both transport and cooking. A Portland-based company, they use all organic, locally grown produce to create seasonal, freshly prepared raw snacks such as: seed and nut pates, wild crafted pesto, garden wraps, a variety of prepared salads, and delicious sweet treats.
Good Natured Gardens, a small, family run vegetable and herb farm located on Sauvie Island that grows a wide variety of heirloom produce and seedlings using organic methods to ensure the highest quality.
KCK Farms, a family owned and operated nursery in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley offering fresh cut peonies, bare root, containerized trees and perennials.
Trailhead Coffee Roasters, the bike-based Portland coffee roaster featuring coffees produced by women farmers and served from Trailhead’s rolling bike cafe.
In addition to shopping for farm-fresh produce, baked goods, meats, cheeses, seafood and other specialty foods, there will be a lot going on each Sunday! Here’s a taste of what market-goers can find at King Market:

Get Growing: every Sunday in May. A booth hosted by Multnomah County Master Gardeners will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. where shoppers can bring plant starts purchased from market vendors to have them potted into container gardens free of charge, plus get free gardening advice from the Masters! This year will feature a promotional card for plant starts purchased during Get Growing King: buy $15 worth of plant starts from market vendors and enter to win fabulous plant and market prizes. Cards may be picked up at the info booth or from any nursery stock vendors. The drawing will be held at the end of the market on May 29. Winners will be contact by phone or email and need not be present to win.

Bite Size Kids Cook at the Market: the last* Sunday of each month (May 29, June 19*, July 31, August 28, September 25). Kids can cultivate their culinary skills and experience a cornucopia of farm-fresh foods though these free drop-in classes. Each month will center on a featured ingredient: radishes (May); greens (June); berries (July); summer squash (August); and tomatoes (September).

Buckman Portland Farmers Market
Buckman Market reopens on Thursday, May 5, 2011. The inner southeast market – formerly called the Eastbank Farmers Market – will be open Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., at SE 20th at Salmon, between Belmont and Hawthorne. The market runs through September 29, 2011.

New vendors for 2011 include:

Little Gnome Farm, a five-acre family farm in Ridgefield, WA, with naturally grown heirloom vegetables.
Queen of Hearts Baking Company, a dedicated gluten-free artisan bakery that produces small batches of handmade savory and sweet pastries in their northeast Portland kitchen.
In addition to delicious produce and goods, Buckman Market also has great classes to offer:

Bite Size Kids Cook at the Market: the first Thursday of each month (May 5, June, 2, July 7, August 4, September 1). Kids can cultivate their culinary skills and experience a cornucopia of farm-fresh foods though these free drop-in classes. Each month will center on a featured ingredient: radishes (May); greens (June); berries (July); summer squash (August); and tomatoes (September).

Preserving the Market: the second Thursday of each month* (May 12, June 9, July 21*, August 11, September 8). The art of preserving food is ancient, and although it’s not exactly necessary in these days of refrigeration and deep-freezes, it seems that the urge to get back to those old-time, down-home flavors and techniques just keeps getting stronger. This five part series – $40 per class or $180 for series of five classes- will teach all the basics cooks need to know for successful canning at home. For class descriptions and registration information, go to www.portlandfarmersmarket.org and click on “Programs.” Advance registration is required.

On May 12, King Market is hosting HeathCorps’ Highway to Health event. The theme of the day is “Fresh from the Garden” and will feature interactive booths to boost shopper’s veggie and nutrition IQ and sample recipes. Fun for the kids includes the Imagination Playground, an ever-changing arrangement of giant foam blocks.

Fresh Exchange at King and Buckman Markets

Back at both eastside markets is Fresh Exchange. Designed to increase access to farm-direct fresh fruits and vegetables for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants while supporting local food producers, Fresh Exchange funds a dollar-to-dollar match (up to $5) for all SNAP funds redeemed at both King and Buckman Portland Farmers Markets.

Fresh Exchange funds can be used to purchase fruit, vegetables, meat, bread, cheese and some baked goods. Funds can also be used to purchase seeds and edible plant starts. Using Fresh Exchange tokens serves both the individual or family in need by providing fresh food, and the local farmer by putting money directly into their pocket.
Formerly called Foodshare Fund Northeast, Fresh Exchange Northeast launched at the beginning of the 2009 season at the King Market. It is a program of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, dedicated to the livability of Portland’s inner North and Northeast neighborhoods.

Buckman’s Fresh Exchange Southeast program was initiated by members of the Portland Business Alliance’s Leadership Portland program in collaboration with Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Coalition. Local individuals and businesses are assisting with funding, while a dedicated crew of volunteers oversees the program’s ongoing operation.

Since the inception of the Fresh Exchange program, more than $30,000 has been distributed to neighbors in need. These funds have ultimately been directed into the hands of our region’s food producers, contributing to the success of our local food economy and fostering healthier communities. For 2011, season sponsor Dave’s Killer Bread has committed to donating 25% of profits from booth sales at the markets to Fresh Exchange.

Returning Vendors

More than 65 vendors are returning this season. Here is a complete list of all of the vendors, both new and returning, that will be selling their food and wares at the King and Buckman Markets.

King and Buckman Portland Farmers Markets are sponsored by New Seasons Market. Portland Farmers Market is generously supported by the Art Institute of Portland, COUNTRY Financial and Dave’s Killer Bread as season sponsors.

About Portland Farmers Market
Founded in 1992, Portland Farmers Market operates vibrant farmers markets that contribute to the success of local food growers and producers, strengthen the food economy and serve as community gathering places. The local 501(c)6 nonprofit employs five full-time and four part-time employees who manage six weekly farmers’ markets in the Portland area from March until December. The independently-run organization receives no ongoing support from government agencies. More than 26,000 shoppers purchase farm-fresh produce, baked goods, meats, cheeses, seafood and other specialty foods from more than 250 vendors at the height of the season. In addition to operating markets, Portland Farmers Market also serves as an incubator for emerging businesses, a leader of the local food movement, a source of education, a culinary focal point in the community, a cultural destination complete with musical entertainment, and a billboard for Portland’s sustainability movement. To learn more about how Portland Farmers Market aims to grow, nourish and inspire the community, become a Twitter follower, Facebook fan and visit www.portlandfarmersmarket.org.